Webquest on Poetry: Learn Four Types of Poems & Make Your Own Book

Playing with words can be a lot of fun, and poems are a great playground for language. In this poetry webquest, learn about four different kinds of poems and make your own poetry book. Learn about haiku, diamante, cinquain, and limerick poems.

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Poetry Webquest

Overview

To be a good writer, you need to be comfortable with language. In this poetry webquest, you will have the chance to play with words and to have fun with language. The poetry styles in this webquest are “structured," which means they have certain rules to follow. Later, you will learn about free verse, as well as other forms of poems.

Task

You will use the websites in the poetry webquest to learn about, create, and collect poems for a personal poem anthology. An anthology is a collection of poems or stories; your collection should have at least twelve poems, but you may add as many as you’d like.

Process

Read all of the instructions before you begin the poetry webquest, so you know exactly what you need to find at each website. Take notes on different paper from what you will put into your finished book.

First, choose a theme for your anthology. Choose a broad theme to make your job easier. Some good themes might include nature, sports, dreams, seasons, sounds, animals, or feelings. You may also choose other topics. If you are not sure that your theme will work easily, ask your teacher for advice.

For each type of poem, you will need to write a definition, create your own example, and collect at least two poems of that style that you really like. You will probably also want to collect or draw some pictures to go with your poems. Remember that you will need to tell where you found the poems and the pictures, if they are not ones you’ve written or made yourself, so write down the website addresses in your notes. Use these sites to learn about the different types of poems.

For each type of poem, you should have a cover page that includes the name of the style (haiku, etc.) and a one- to two-sentence explanation of the style. You may decorate the page as you choose, adding borders, drawings, stickers, or other embellishments.

After each cover page, you should have the poem you wrote in that style. Again, you may decorate the page as you wish, bringing out your book’s theme.

Next, you should copy at least two good examples of that type of poem. At the end of the poem, be sure to write the name of the poet who wrote it. At the bottom of the page, write where you found the poem. Decorate the page as you choose.

When you have completed your collection, place the pages in a neat folder. Decorate the front of the folder, if you want. Title your book and write your name on the cover.